28th August 2007 Entry Log III

Logbook 28-08-07 Entry Log III

This is another question on my mind. Now is the Hungry Ghost Festival in Lunar Calender, hence there are a lot of offerings to the wandering spirits and ghosts in the neighbourhood. The question is where are all the bins for burning the paper money gone to? According to my mother, there was at least 2 bins per block previously. But now only 1. Could it because the town council are afraid of people stealing the bins to sell since they are mostly made of iron and prices of metal are sky high now.

A question here would be whom in the right mind would want offending the spirits and ghosts to steal one of these bins. Stranger things have happened too. Surely this would not happen.

Anyway there is really a chinese custom of burning offerings to the ghosts or "hao xiong di" (good brothers in chinese). The whole seventh month in the Lunar Calender belongs to the Hungry Ghosts while accordingly to chinese lore that the gates to hell are opened during this month. Hence parents would warn their children not to stray out too late in case of running into any of the good brothers at night. My mum would always remind me of this.

Sometimes it is wise to do so as to do otherwise is to risk the wrath of these brothers in your luck is low.

Tomorrow would be interesting as I go about celebrating with my girlfriend. Hopefully we would not argue on her big day.

Cheers for now.